Wilkes University’s Relay for Life will be participating in Colleges vs. Cancer, an event that supports Colleges Against Cancer, part of the American Cancer Society.
Colonels vs. Cancer will be held at Kirby Park, across the Susquehanna River from Wilkes-Barre in Kingston Oct. 6. Preregistration will begin at 8:30 a.m.
The registration fee for runners is $15 dollars and all participants that register for the event before Sept. 27 are guaranteed an event T-shirt in their size. For more information about registration go to www.wilkes.edu/homecoming. Registration can also be made at the Student Union building from 11-1 Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The event is run by P3 pharmacy major Bethany Sharpless, the student adviser for Colleges Against Cancer. She has stated that proceeds of the event will benefit the American Cancer Society.
She said the event will be part of the Wilkes University Alumni Association’s Reunion Weekend. She said the opportunity to lead this event because cancer has affected almost every person she knows, and some funds from Colonels vs. Cancer helps fund cancer researchers.
Joining Sharpless in planning is junior pharmacy major Rebecca Gordon, the Relay for Life chairman for Wilkes University. She said that this event will be part of Wilkes’ Relay for Life organization, where the community gets together to celebrate life, remember those who lost their lives and to raise money for the American Cancer Society. They also raise awareness high-risk behaviors linking to cancer.
The run itself will span 5 kilometers, students, faculty and community members are among the people expected to attend the event.
Funds from the event that are donated to the American Cancer Society help fund other programs such as Road to Recovery, offering free rides to treatment to cancer patients. Funds also help Look Good Feel Better which offers resources to help women affected by cancer take care of their wigs and skin during treatment.